India earns ₹88,000 crore from anti-dumping duties, new reports reveal

The reports highlight delays in implementing anti-dumping duties, which often trigger import surges that harm domestic industries—underscoring the need for timely, effective trade remedies to support India’s push for economic self-reliance under the Atmanirbhar Bharat initiative

India’s strategic use of anti-dumping duties has resulted in a significant economic benefit of ₹88,000 crore, according to two new reports unveiled at the National Conclave on Strengthening Atmanirbharta. The studies, released by the Centre for Domestic Economy Policy Research (C-DEP) and the Centre for World Trade Studies under the Ministry of Commerce, highlight the critical role of trade remedies in supporting domestic manufacturing.

Anti-dumping duties are levied to counteract predatory pricing by foreign exporters who sell products in India at prices below their actual cost of production. This practice, known as dumping, poses a threat to Indian manufacturers by undercutting local prices, leading to idle production capacities and job losses.

The first report from C-DEP calculates the economic benefit from anti-dumping measures by analyzing the increase in domestic production capacity in select sectors following the imposition of such duties. The findings suggest that government interventions through the Directorate General of Trade Remedies (DGTR) have provided a much-needed level playing field for Indian manufacturers.

Unchecked dumping hurts Indian industry

A second report, titled “Economic Impact of Dumped Imports on the Indian Economy,” paints a stark picture of the consequences of unchecked dumping. It estimates that over the past four years, dumped imports in a limited number of product categories have caused an economic loss of approximately ₹1.5 lakh crore. This figure represents lost productivity, shutdowns, and underutilized domestic manufacturing capabilities.

The reports also point to challenges in the current anti-dumping regime, especially delays in implementation. In some cases, a lag in enforcement has led to a surge in imports as traders rush to bring in goods before duties are imposed — exacerbating the damage to local industries.

Products such as Insoluble Sulphur, PEDA, Pretilachlor, KTB, STB, PX-13, TDQ, and Sulphenamide accelerators are cited as examples where domestic manufacturers have suffered due to delayed protection.

Experts argue that these findings strengthen the case for timely and judicious use of anti-dumping tools as part of India’s broader push for economic self-reliance under the Atmanirbhar Bharat initiative.

The full reports are available at C-DEP.in and wtocentre.iift.ac.in.